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The World Is Not Equal. Is That Fair?

Elementary, Middle

Description

The purpose of this resource is to enhance student’s awareness of the many types of inequality that exist in the world. The activities introduce the students to the idea of social disparities and explore the consequences of these inequalities on society as a whole and economy.

Students will discuss the notion of inequality, answer questions, present a persuasive argument based on research, present the class with a form of inequality, present a day in a life of a person who experiences a disparity and create an "impact chain" based on the inequality.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

  • debate
  • observation

Strengths

  • Good quantity of background information to support the activities.
  • Extension ideas to further the learning
  • The activity is age appropriate for the younger students
  • Current local and global issue
  • The resource is available to download immediately.

Weaknesses

  • As the issue concerns different types of inequalities in the world, the sources of information are insufficient.
  • Few assessment methods/rubrics provided
  • The resource lacks a significant action component.
  • Could include guest speakers with different points of view.

Relevant Curriculum Units

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  • Alberta
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    • Grade 3
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        • Active citizenship contributes to the vitality of communities that can promote pluralism among diverse people in a democratic society
        • Developing and affirming identity contributes to well-being and understandings of self and one another
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        • Active citizenship contributes to the vitality of communities that can promote pluralism among diverse people in a democratic society.
        • Analyzing diverse worldviews and experiences fosters our ability and willingness to live well together
        • Exploring connections strengthens our understandings of relationships to help us make meaning of the world
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        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies
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        • Global Issues and Governance: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
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        • Communities of the World: Exploring the World
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        • Global Issues and Governance: Complex global problems require international cooperation to make difficult choices for the future.
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        • Social Studies 3: Citizenship
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        • Social Studies 6: World Issues
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        • Connecting With the World: Citizenship
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        • People and Environments: Political and Physical Regions of Canada
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        • Social Studies 6: Canada & Our Atlantic Neighbours -Resources and Wealth
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        • Canadian Issues and Governance: Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies

Themes Addressed

Human Health & Environment (3)

  • Human Population Dynamics
  • Hunger and Malnutrition
  • Quality of Life

Human Rights (6)

  • Cultural Diversity
  • Education
  • Environmental Racism/Justice
  • Gender Equality
  • Poverty
  • Social Justice

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

Students have the opportunity to discuss social inequality issues. They will consider different points of view as well as various opinions on the issues.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Good

The resource exposes the different facets of social inequality. It addresses gender inequalities, disabilities, racial and ethnic groups, and geographic location.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good
Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Satisfactory

The resource offers learning activities that primarily allow students to come to greater knowledge of this subject.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

The different learning situations offered by the resource offer students the opportunity to question, reflect, position themselves and discuss the subject. Students have the opportunity to debate on statements by activists on different types of inequality.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Very Good

The resource is part of a collaborative educational project that aims to promote the global goals of sustainable development announced by the United Nations. It aims to raise awareness that there are different types of inequality in the world and to raise awareness of the consequences of inequality on society as a whole.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Good

The document makes students aware of the differences that exist according to the geographical location in which other children live.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Satisfactory
Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Satisfactory
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good

Most learning activities provide opportunities for discussion and debate to enable the emergence of new ideas and therefore multiple and new solutions.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Satisfactory

Social Studies

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Satisfactory

Questions and challenges that students have to think about and deepen are already determined by the resource. Students also have, for example, to answer a true and false questionnaire about social inequalities.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Satisfactory

Most activities are for auditory learners

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Satisfactory

Learning activities turn out to be more theoretical than practical. In addition, one of the proposed activities is the creation of an impact chain  focused on an inequality that would be chosen by the group of students.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory
Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Good

The resource does not have specific evaluation methods. It offers many opportunities for self-assessment and reflection.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory

Students will have the opportunity to present their knowledge through the proposed activities and through debates about injustice.

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Satisfactory

One of the activities suggests that students think of something that represents inequality in their community or on their way to school. The activity proposes to take a picture or write a short description and describe the consequences of this inequality.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Satisfactory

There are activities on which students have the opportunity to further deepen certain questions.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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